Fritzski’s Ski Tip of the Week #5 / Storing your Ski Gear in the Off-season
With the end of another great ski season near or here for most of us, some of you may be wondering how to properly store your valuable “tools of the trade” so they’re in tip-top shape for next year.
STORAGE WAXING: This is the practice of generously waxing your skis and not scraping it off. The idea here being to preserve your P-tex bases by sealing them in wax. Many folks do this religiously, and while it certainly can’t hurt, it is debatable as to whether it’s really necessary. There is some scientific evidence that despite traditional wisdom, P-tex is actually a very inert material and does not oxidize or degrade if left in a cool, dry, and dark environment. The white chalky appearance of well used bases are actually caused by abrasion creating fine micro-hairs and not “drying out”.
Another consideration is you must also remember to scrape it off and preferably do a fresh re-wax before skiing again next season. Just sayin’, but you can bet that all the unsold ski inventory at your local shop will not be waxed before storing this off-season.
Side note: I wouldn’t recommend storing your skis on a wall hanger that suspends the skis by pinching the tips together. It could possibly deform the shape of the skis over time, especially those with healthy early rise tips or splay.
RELAXING BINDING SPRING TENSION: The idea here is to preserve the integrity of your binding springs . Once again, while certainly not a bad idea, it has been stated by binding manufacturers that the springs they use are so robust that it would actually take decades before any noticeable decrease in tension occured. Again, you can bet that same local shop is not going to set all their unsold bindings to the zero DIN setting.
Also, there should never be a need to ever lubricate your bindings. If you feel like there is ever an issue with the moving parts, consult a qualified shop technician.
BOOT STORAGE: Pull the boot liners out and let them totally air out for at least a few days before storing. Any moisture left inside will result in some smelly nastiness. Also, the plastic shells can have a memory effect. If you store them with the buckles cinched tightly, you may find them very difficult to get on next season. It’s better to store them with the buckles very loosely latched.
STORAGE LOCATION: This is the biggie! Heat and humidity are the enemy of all ski equipment. Changing or excessive heat can cause all the laminations of the different materials that make up your skis to degrade. Each material can expand and contract at different rates and the bonding glues can degrade causing early and eventual failure. Humidity is the enemy of metals and can cause oxidation or rusting of your ski edges and bindings. Lastly, sunlight and UV rays are damaging to all plastics and carbon fibers.
Bottom line: Doing all these precautionary things is fine if you’re feeling motivated, but if you do nothing more than store your skis and boots in a COOL, DRY, & DARK location, they should still be good to go next season with just a fresh wax before your first day on the snow.
